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Mysterious Man Seeks Dead Souls in Old West
13 Aug
Summary
- A mysterious man in a bowler hat searches for names of dead Mexican laborers.
- The film is a western adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's 'Dead Souls'.
- Director Alex Cox financed the film through a Kickstarter campaign.
Around 1890, a mysterious man named Strindler, played by director Alex Cox, arrives in a frontier town in Arizona. He presents himself as a government worker or preacher, but his true motive is to collect the names of deceased Mexican laborers for a payment. This narrative is a loose adaptation of Nikolai Gogol's 'Dead Souls,' offering a satirical look at exploitation.
Financed through a Kickstarter campaign, Cox's independent film 'Dead Souls' was shot in Arizona and Spain. The story primarily features cryptic exchanges in saloons and stables, interspersed with unusual events like a zombie musical number. The film's budget constraints are visible in its cinematography and performances, which lend a comically wooden feel that aligns with Cox's meta-commentary on cinema.
Despite its low-budget aesthetic, 'Dead Souls' is described as a riotous swan song for those familiar with Cox's work. The film, with a running time of 1 hour and 28 minutes, is rated Not Rated and is currently in theaters.
